DIABETES affects almost five million people in the UK, with their bodies producing too much sugar in their blood.
The NHS soup and shake plan is allowing sufferers of type 2 diabetes to drastically improve their health.
What is the NHS soup and shake diet plan?
The plan looks to help sufferers of type 2 diabetes to lose weight in a managed way to aid weight loss.
Utilising a series of soups and shakes as a way to give those affected the nutrition they need without over-eating, it has been found to have a positive impact on those suffering from the disease.
Obesity in diabetes patients can cause major complications and the condition is believed to cost the NHS around £10 billion per year.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can allow sufferers to work towards an end goal of being in remission from the condition completely.
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Diabetes can cause so many knock-on effects for people affected, with risk of dying from the coronavirus doubled for patients.
The move not only improves the health and lifestyle of patients but will also save the NHS huge amounts of money while freeing up the time of staff to focus on others.
How does the soup and shake diet work?
The NHS low-calorie diet plan allows sufferers to better manage their condition and primarily their blood sugar levels.
It works through a year-long programme of low-calorie, diet replacement products such as soups and shakes in the first three months.
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Statistics have shown that people on the plan, on average, lose around 7.2kg (over one stone) after the first month and 13.4kg (over two stone) after three months.
The end goal of the diet is to get patients into remission from diabetes at the end of the twelve months, but more importantly, in such a way that they can keep the weight off.
After the first three months of soups and shakes, the scheme then looks to reintroduce healthy, nutritious food into the diet.
All managed virtually through one-to-ones, group sessions and digital support, it offers patients the help to improve their health for the long haul.
Does it help against diabetes?
Over 2,000 people have already seen their health drastically improve on the plan which allows them to look to kick the disease completely in the long-term.
Controlling blood-sugar levels are key to entering remission and lifestyle changes such as the soup and shake plan have been proved to allow sufferers to achieve that goal.
NHS projections are forecasting that without such programmes, the number of people affected by diabetes will continue to grow and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Chris Askew, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK, said "We’re delighted to see the expansion of NHS England’s free weight-loss programme for people living with Type 2 diabetes.
Since its launch, this low-calorie diet pilot, inspired by Diabetes UK’s ground-breaking DiRECT trial, has helped thousands of people across England access the support they need to lose weight effectively and potentially put their Type 2 diabetes in remission.
“Remission can be life-changing, offering people a better chance of a healthier future."
Who is eligible?
Currently the plan is being trialled in various areas of England, due to its success, the availability is growing rapidly.
To be eligible to take part, you must meet the following criteria:
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- Aged 18 to 65 years.
- Have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the last 6 years.
- BMI of 27kg/m² or higher if you’re white, or 25kg/m² if you’re from an ethnic minority group.
- Have had an HbA1c measurement taken within the last 12 months and the results were:
- HbA1c of 43-87 mmol/mol, if on diabetes medication.
- HbA1c of 48-87 mmol/mol, if not on diabetes medication.
In the first instance, if this applies to you, it is recommended to speak to your GP to see if this is something available in your area.
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